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'NOT PLAGIARISM.' Senate Majority Leader Tito Sotto apologizes to the Kennedy family if his use of Robert Kennedy's speech upset them but maintained that he did not commit plagiarism. Screenshot from Senate livestream

In a privilege speech on Tuesday, November 13, Sen Vicente "Tito" Sotto III apologized to the Kennedys for a speech he earlier made using the quotes of the late US Sen Robert F Kennedy.

"Copying is the highest form of flattery, but if it upsets the Kennedy family then I'm sorry but that is not the intention we have when we used it," Sotto said.

He insisted however that he did not commit plagiarism.

Sotto has been hounded anew by plagiarism accusations following a letter signed by Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Kennedy, and president of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. In the letter, Kerry Kennedy accused Sen Sotto of "flagrantly" and "deceptively" plagiarizing a 1966 Day of Affirmation speech of her father.

In his speech, Sotto said he got the "inspirational line" from a text message sent by a Christian leader. He said he did not know that the line was Kennedy's and he only used it in his speech because he found it fitting in his message against the Reproductive Health (RH) bill.

"Sabi nila kay Kennedy ang linya na iyon kaya 'di ko alam kaagad iyon. Kung sa tingin nila ay kinopya at tingin ng Kennedy family, kinopya ko, pwede sapagkat kinopya ko nga sa text iyon. But Mr President copying or imitation is the highest form of flattery, but it if upsets the Kennedy family then I'm sorry. But that is not the intention that we had when we used it."

(They say the line is Kennedy's but I did not know that at the outset. If they think I copied it and the Kennedys think I copied it, that's possible because I did copy it from the text.)

Reporters sought to interview Sotto on the ethics case but he told them to just wait for his privilege speech.

Sotto stressed though that he had repeatedly said during his anti-RH bill speeches that his words were not his own and he got it from experts.

"Ang plagiarism ay to steal or pass off ideas or words of another as one's own without crediting the source. Mr President, wala ho akong inangkin," Sotto said. (I did not claim the quotes to be my own.)

"Kung sasabihin lang sa akin, nangopya, mag-apologize ka, ay talagang madali iyon eh. Talagang kinopya eh. Pero hindi ko plinagiarize. Iba iyon. Maliwanag yun." (But I did not commit plagiarism. That's clear.) He added: "When I got that line, I translated and delivered in Filipino because I found it fit in what I was fighting for so I didn't claim it."

Sotto also said the academe and the legislature have different standards on plagiarism.

The senator also questioned the supposed involvement of an Akbayan representative in the ethics complaint. He said the media advisory sent to reporters came from the office of an Akbayan congressman. Walden Bello is the only male representative of Akbayan.

Doon ko ho dadalhin sa issue ng ibinibintang na plagiarism. Ang tingin ko po dito Mr President, what seems to be a simple case of probable misinformation, has turned out to be misinterpretation and now has become a case of persecution.

A Christian leader sent me through a text a reminder. It was a nice reminder used to inspire people. He even said that religious groups or leaders use that as an inspirational line. I did not even know whose it was except that it came from the True Love Waits Foundation who espouses chastity and teaches all over the country. He’s an American.

When he gave me that line, I translated and delivered the message in Filipino because we found it a finding cap to what I was fighting for so Mr President I did not steal it or claim that it was mine. The worst thing you can say is I copied it from the text of a friend. I didn’t know who it came from but it was a nice inspirational line.

Sabi nila kay Kennedy ang linya na iyon kaya di ko alam kaagad iyon. Kung sa tingin nila ay kinopya at tingin ng Kennedy family, kinopya ko. Pwede sapagkat kinopya ko nga sa text iyon. But Mr President copying or imitation is the highest form of flattery but if it upsets the Kennedy family then I’m sorry but that is not the intention that we have when we used it.

When the right time comes and when I have gathered enough evidence, I will expose the people behind this na nagmamanipula nito. Pati mga kababayan natin sa academe, namamanipula nila para magamit nila ditto.

Mr President you can call me names, you can mock me, you can accuse me of anything under the sun but I will not change my position and I will always be against the distribution of condoms, IUDs, promoting immorality to the young people. I will always be against abortion.

I will always remain steadfast and will stand firm in my position as long as I live. - Rappler.com

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Welcome to Rappler, a social news network where stories inspire community engagement and digitally fuelled actions for social change. Rappler comes from the root words "rap" (to discuss) + "ripple" (to make waves).